Friday, January 24, 2020
Half measures on the environment help nobody
With Donald Trump in denial on the extent of climate change and the action needed to slow it down, it has been left to the rest of the world to do what is necessary to deal with this issue. However, for many nations, their measures amount to what is convenient rather than what is necessary. The UK is no exception.
As the Independent reports, our prime minister has announced an immediate end to the use of UK taxpayers’ money to support coal mining and coal-fuelled power stations in developing countries in a bid to limit climate change and protect biodiversity. However, the government is still pumping billions of pounds into overseas fossil fuel projects that could emit up to 69 million tonnes of greenhouses gases every year:
An investigation has revealed that UK Export Finance (UKEF), a small government agency in the Department for International Trade, has helped finance oil and gas projects that could emit up to 69 million tonnes of carbon every year.
This figure – which is said to be a “worst case scenario” – is equivalent to the amount emitted by a country the size of Portugal.
The joint probe by BBC Newsnight and Unearthed – Greenpeace’s investigations unit – also discovered UKEF has financed £6bn of fossil fuel projects around the world since 2010.
The money has helped fund schemes including oil wells and oil refineries in places such as Brazil and Oman, according to the investigation.
While this sort of investment remains unchecked the UK's claim to be a leader in the fight against global warming is laughable. We remain offenders and that needs to be put right.
As the Independent reports, our prime minister has announced an immediate end to the use of UK taxpayers’ money to support coal mining and coal-fuelled power stations in developing countries in a bid to limit climate change and protect biodiversity. However, the government is still pumping billions of pounds into overseas fossil fuel projects that could emit up to 69 million tonnes of greenhouses gases every year:
An investigation has revealed that UK Export Finance (UKEF), a small government agency in the Department for International Trade, has helped finance oil and gas projects that could emit up to 69 million tonnes of carbon every year.
This figure – which is said to be a “worst case scenario” – is equivalent to the amount emitted by a country the size of Portugal.
The joint probe by BBC Newsnight and Unearthed – Greenpeace’s investigations unit – also discovered UKEF has financed £6bn of fossil fuel projects around the world since 2010.
The money has helped fund schemes including oil wells and oil refineries in places such as Brazil and Oman, according to the investigation.
While this sort of investment remains unchecked the UK's claim to be a leader in the fight against global warming is laughable. We remain offenders and that needs to be put right.
